“The Streaming Revolution: Rise in Streaming and Decline of Live TV across All Age Groups”

Streaming continues to advance its reach, according to recent research conducted in America. The report released by Nielsen presents fascinating data, indicating an ongoing decline in traditional, live television viewing contrasted by a steady rise in streaming services. Many may have anticipated this shift, however, the comprehensive reach of this trend across all age groups might surprise some.

During the third quarter, a remarkable 55% increase was observed in the time spent watching videos on computers and smartphones by those aged 55 and above, as depicted in a post by the LA Times.

For adults between 18-to-49 years, a cherished demographic for advertisers, there was a noticeable 3% decrease in daily viewing compared to last year using traditional television mediums. On the other hand, digital viewing witnessed a massive growth of 53%.

Year by year comparison reveals that time-shifted viewing, which includes digital recording devices and video on-demand, expanded from 12 hours and 31 minutes a month last year to a booming 14 hours and 20 minutes a month. Internet video viewing experienced an even more dramatic surge, catapulting from six hours and 20 minutes a year ago to an impressive 10 hours and 42 minutes a month.

This steering of global audiences away from conventional TV platforms and towards digital streaming is not limited to the US. Similar trends have been observed in Europe and Asia, with significant growth in music and video streaming services.

Bringing it closer to home, Africa has seen a steady rise in streaming consumption. With over 880 million active mobile users and another predicted 330 million smart devices on the continent by 2017, the inclination towards online streaming services is strongly evidenced. The past years have witnessed a gradual improvement in data services in multiple countries across the continent, providing a strong foundation for streaming services to thrive.

This article was updated in 2025 to reflect modern realities.